Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure

Overview

Under the federal government's Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, Alberta is receiving $140.6 million for community, culture and recreation projects over the next 10 years (2018-28).

Communities can apply for funding to support new, expanded or renewed community centres and hubs, amateur sport, cultural and recreational installations and facilities.

Program Guidelines provide further information about ICIP.

Eligible projects

Eligible projects must meet the following outcomes:

• improved access to and/or increased quality of cultural, recreational and/or community infrastructure for Canadians, including Indigenous peoples and vulnerable populations

Eligible projects include:

• new, expanded or renewed community centres and hubs, amateur sport, cultural and recreational installations and facilities
• community, culture and recreation projects must be community-oriented, non-commercial in nature and open for use to the public and not limited to a private-membership
• a not-for-profit is eligible to apply for ICIP funding to support a new or existing municipal asset only where the organization is in a long-term lease with the municipality to occupy and/or operate and maintain that municipal asset. For example: If a not-for-profit has a long-term lease with a municipality to occupy, operate, and maintain a community league building, playground structure, or other publicly accessible capital infrastructure within a municipal park, they may be eligible for ICIP funding

Ineligible projects include:

• private sector, for-profit Ultimate Recipient
• stand-alone daycare facility, for-profit daycare facility, daycare facility associated with a school board, or a daycare facility funded under Canada’s Early Learning and Child Care initiative
• religious site that serves as a place of assembly for religious purposes, which includes among others, a site, church, mosque, synagogue, temple, chapel (for example, within a convent or seminary), shrine or meeting house
• professional or semi-professional sport facility that is primarily a commercial operation, such as those that serve major junior hockey leagues
• dedicated spaces for healthcare, education or tourism purposes, provincial or municipal services, or for-profit uses
  • health and education facilities, including school playgrounds, are only eligible for ICIP funding where their primary purpose is to address one or more of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s Calls to Action. Therefore, education, and health facilities must be located in Indigenous communities or serve a high percentage of Indigenous people living off-reserve to qualify for ICIP funding
• new or rehabilitated capital asset(s) where an applicant does not own, operate and maintain the asset(s), or is not in long in a long-term, legally binding lease to occupy, operate, and maintain the asset(s)
  • in order to be eligible to receive ICIP funding, applicants must have a documented, legal responsibility for an asset

Cost sharing

The federal government will cost share eligible projects up to the following:

• 40% for municipal and not-for-profit partners
• 50% for provincial projects
• 75% for projects with Indigenous partners

Note that municipal projects funded through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program require a provincial cost-share of 33.33%.

Eligible applicants

• municipal governments
• public sector body that is established by or under provincial statute or by regulation or is wholly-owned by Alberta, or a municipal government
• not-for-profit organizations
• when working in collaboration with a municipality, a public or not-for-profit institution that is directly or indirectly authorized, under the terms of provincial or federal statute, or royal charter, to deliver post-secondary courses or programs that lead to recognized and transferable post-secondary credentials
• for-profit organizations, when working in collaboration with one or more of the entities referred to above or an Indigenous government listed below
• the following Indigenous Ultimate Recipients:
  • a band council within the meaning of section 2 of the Indian Act
  • a First Nation, Inuit or Métis government or authority established pursuant to a self-government agreement or a comprehensive land claim agreement between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada and an Indigenous people of Canada, that has been approved, given effect and declared valid by federal legislation
  • a First Nation, Inuit or Métis government that is established by or under legislation whether federal or provincial that incorporates a governance structure
  • a not-for-profit organization whose central mandate is to improve Indigenous outcomes, working in collaboration with one or more of the Indigenous entities referred to above, a municipality, or Alberta

Important to know

The province will use information provided in the expression of interest to prioritize projects for submission to the federal government. Submissions will be reviewed to determine eligibility and assess the project for:

• alignment with Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program outcomes
• anticipated social, economic and environmental benefits
• impact on community and stakeholder identified needs
• project readiness, including the amount of funding secured and the level of planning that has occurred
• the applicant’s capacity to manage the project
• alignment with Government of Alberta priorities

Climate assessments

All projects with total eligible costs over $10 million and select green infrastructure projects will require climate assessments as part of the project submission process. This includes a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Assessment and the Climate Change Resilience Assessment.

When applicable, all funding applications will be judged, in part, on criteria required by the Government of Canada's Climate Lens.

More details will be shared with eligible applicants.

After you apply

After applying:

• we will review projects for program eligibility, provincial priority and to ensure that cost-share requirements are met
• we will identify projects to be submitted to the federal government for final approval
• project applicants will be invited to complete a federal application form

Note that any expenditures related to contracts signed prior to federal approval, except for costs related to completing a Climate Lens Assessment, are ineligible for ICIP funding.

Reporting requirements

All projects with total eligible costs over $25 million will be required to report on Community Employment Benefits generated by the project.

This requirement is intended to increase employment opportunities for the following targeted groups in the construction industry and related sectors: apprentices, Indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities, veterans, youth, new Canadians, or small-sized, medium sized and social enterprises.

More details will be shared with eligible applicants.

Related grant programs

These grants may be used as potential sources of funding to fulfil provincial cost share requirements. Municipalities are not eligible for funding through CFEP.

Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) provides financial assistance to acquire, build, purchase, repair, renovate, upgrade or expand sports, recreational, cultural or other related public-use community facilities.

Alberta Historical Resources Foundation provides grants to encourage initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta's heritage.

Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) provides funding to support local infrastructure priorities and build strong, safe and resilient communities. Note that the use of MSI funding is only applicable under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream.

Contact

Email: [email protected]